Primary Evidence: Paintings; Frescoes on the interior of the Church of Santa Maria at Castelseprio depicting scenes from the life of Christ andthe Virgin Mary. The paintings (also bearing Christological and Marian motifs) cover the flat-roofed aspe and the curved wall of the east nav

Illustrations: Twenty Nine Figures. Figure One Fresco, eighth to ninth century (wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Detail depicts fragments of a scene of the Annunciation and the Visitation. Figure Two~~Fresco, eighth to ninth century (wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Detail of top of window features a bust of Christ holding a scroll. Figure Three Fresco, eighth to ninth century (detail of wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). To the left of the window are~~scenes of and angel visiting Joseph in a dream (above) and the presentation of the infant Christ at the temple (below). To the right of the window is a fragment of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem (above) and the Nativity (below). Figure Four Fresco, eighth to ninth century (detail wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). The wall to the left of an archway depicts winged angel in flight (above) and a fragment of the Adoration of~~the Christ child. Figure Five Fresco eighth to ninth century (detail of wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). The wall to the right of an archway depicts winged angel in flight. Figure Six Drawing of frescoes, eighth to ninth century (detail of wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Fragments of the Annunciation, Visitation, Trial by Water, and a bust of Christ above a window (after Weitzmann, fig. A). Figure Seven Drawing of frescoes, eighth to ninth century (wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Detail (after Weitzmann, fig. B) shows fragments of Joseph’s Dream and the Presentation of Christ to the Temple (left of window), the Journey to Bethlehem and the Nativity (to the right of window), and the Adoration of the Christ child (left of archway). Figure Eight Drawing of frescoes, eighth to ninth century (wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Detail (after Weitzmann, fig. C) depicts two angels in flight above an archway, and the Adoration of the Christ child (left of archway). Figure Nine Fresco, eighth to ninth century (detail of wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Fragment of a Nativity scene along with a depiction of the Christ child’s first bath~~and the Annunciation to the Shepherds. Figure Ten Fresco, eighth to ninth century (detail of wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). The Presentation of the infant Christ to the Temple. Figure Eleven Fresco, eighth to ninth century (detail of wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). The three kings present gifts and kneel in adoration of the~~Virgin and Child. Figure Twelve “Sketch of Lost Scene C,” 1948. Drawing depicts the bare outline of a standing figure to the left of an archway on the wall of the Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio (after “Castelseprio.,” pl. LIX b). Figure Thirteen “Detail of Lost Scene C” (wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Photograph reveals the outline of the long~~garment of an unidentified figure. Figure Fourteen “Joseph’s Dream” eighth to ninth century (detail of aspe fresco, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). A haloed angel in flowing robes, with the traces of wings~~faintly visible. Figure Fifteen “Detail of Lost Scene C” (wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Photograph reveals the faint outline of an unknown figure with left arm extended. Figure Sixteen “Detail of Lost Scene C” (wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria Castelseprio). Photograph~~reveals the outline of a haloed figure moving toward an unidentified seated haloed figure with left arm extended. Figure Seventeen “Reconstruction of Lost Scene C” (wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Drawing depicts the outline of a haloed and winged angel moving toward an~~unidentified seated haloed figure with left arm extended. Figure Eighteen “Nativity,” eighth to ninth century (of wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Detail Figure of the midwife, whose arms are extended toward the Christ child. Nineteen “Trial by Water,” 1948 (drawing of aspe~~fresco, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). After “Castelseprio.,” pl. X~~c). Figure Twenty “Reconstruction of Lost Scene C,” (wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria Castelseprio). Drawing depicts the outline of the top of an archway and a winged haloed angel moving toward a seated haloed figure. Figure Twenty One Menologium of Basil II, “Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple,” ca. 1000. Painting depicts the presentation of Mary and Mary~~being fed by an angel in a single composition. Figure Twenty Two “Sketch of Lost Scene A,” 1948. Drawing depicts fragments of two unidentified figures~~advancing from right to left (after “Castelseprio.,” pl. X c). Figure Twenty Three “Lost Scene A” (detail of wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Photograph reveals two figures, the foremost and taller of the two walking with weight on the right leg with the left leg behind. Figure Twenty Four “Presentation (detail),” eighth to ninth century (wall~~of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Fresco depicts a robed,~~bearded face of a male figure who stands behind the Virgin Mary. Figure Twenty Five “Lost Scene A” (detail of wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Fresco depicts an unidentified shadowy figure with a draped head carrying an object. Figure Twenty Six “Reconstruction of Lost Scene A” (wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Drawing reveals the outlines of two standing robed figures, a bearded male and a draped female, who are perhaps carrying objects. Figure Twenty Seven Frescoes, eighth to ninth century (wall of aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Drawing reveals the outline of an Annunciation scene and an image of two robed figures perhaps carrying objects. Figure Twenty Eight “Joachim’s Rejected~~Offerings,” watercolor painting, Staraja Ladoga, Saint George (after N. Brandenburg, “Staraja Ladoga, Saint Petersburg, 1896). Joachim and Anna carry offerings to the temple, offering them to a haloed robed priest. Figure Twenty Nine “Reconstruction of Presentation of Christ at the Temple,” (frescoes on middle register of center aspe, Church of Santa Maria, Castelseprio). Drawing depicts part of archway and a winged angel moving toward a seated figure, as well as the Virgin Mary presenting the Christ child at the temple before a semicircular bench bearing the inscription “ZUMEON” (after “Castelseprio.,” pl. X c).